As Lovers Go
by Olive0yl
Summary: Tina Cohen likes to meddle in Rachel Berry's love life. Plus, she needs a distraction from her feelings for Mike Chang.


_I don't own glee, the characters, and all that jazz_

* * *

The front door is pushed open, letting a flurry of snow inside the doorway, and Mike catches sight of brown hair and a blue scarf as Tina falls in from the cold. Her hair is messily framing her face, curling slightly from the snowflakes clinging to her, and her scarf is wrapped tight around her neck. He's distracted momentarily from the basketball game playing out on the TV in front of him as he takes in the sight of her, noting how the blizzard outside turned her nose and cheeks a light shade of red.

"Cold?" He chuckles the question to rile her up as she unwinds the scarf and lets it fall to a puddle by the door along with her gloves. Her coat soon joins them and she looks expectantly up at Mike. "The games on," he says simply and motions his beer bottle toward his housemate, Azimio.

Tina crosses the room as she says, "I can wait.

Both men watch her retreat down the narrow hallway and disappear into Mike's room. "Let me know who wins," he leaves his near empty bottle on the table near Azimio and follows after her.

He finds her shoes kicked haphazardly into a corner and he leans on the door jamb as he watches her shuffle through his CD collection in mock interest. They both know she's going to slip Fleetwood Mac into the player like she always does.

"Bad day," he asks the question because it's what he's supposed to do.

"Shitty," her reply is dry and she knows he's watching her as she pulls _Rumours_ from his alphabetical rows of music.

"Wanna talk about it?"

She shoots him a small smile over her shoulder, "Not particularly."

"Okay."

"It's snowing really bad out there," she murmurs as she punches the correct track number into his stereo and the music drifts lazily out of the speakers. "I should probably get my tires changed. They never salt the roads like they should."

She turns to him then and he watches her closely, shutting his bedroom door as he steps fully inside. Tina isn't sure exactly when this thing between her and Mike started. They've been neighbors since she moved in down the street almost five years ago. She would see him jog by as she read on her porch and they would wave, be neighborly, but she never had an actual conversation with him until last August. Her Siberian Husky, Temper, had dug a hole in the back yard and snuck out, running through the front yards of the people on her block and tearing up Ms. Sylvester's rose bushes in the process. That woman would never let Tina live that down. She replaced the bushes, what more could she do?

It was Mike that caught Temper and brought her back.

"This yours?" He asks as he brings the dog up the pathway leading to the wraparound porch. "He's gorgeous."

"It's a female," she corrects quickly. "Temper."

"I found her digging holes in my backyard. My housemate isn't too happy."

"I'm sorry," she blushes under his gaze. "She's just a puppy, can't be still for more than seven seconds before she has to tear into something. I can come over later and fix the holes."

"Naw," he shrugs off her offer and watches Temper sniff around newly planted mums beside Tina. "I'm Mike Chang," he focuses his eyes back on her. "I live in the brick house on the corner."

"Tina Cohen," she smiles and shakes his outstretched hand.

"It's nice to finally meet you, neighbor." His chuckle makes her grin.

"I honestly don't know how to thank you for bring back Temper. I feel like I should bake you cookies or something."

"Or something," he smirks and a blush spreads over Tina's cheeks.

Her smile is guarded, "I'm not used to men flirting so openly."

"How about you make those cookies and I'll come over later and we can watch a movie or something."

She ignores the whining coming from Temper at her feet since she knows the dog is probably hungry and matches Mike's expression. "Okay."

He chuckles lowly and takes a step back. "I like peanut butter cookies," he turns to go as he adds, "with the little fork prints on the top. I'll swing by around seven."

She nods even though his back is already turned and can't stop the smile that erupts over her face.

His mouth is hot on her shoulder and it rips her from her flashback as his hands slide over her rear. She leans into him, letting herself sink against him, and his hold tightens so they don't slip to the floor. For a minute, she wishes she'd gone home first before coming over. She's still in her scrubs and she's pretty sure she has a stain from mashed carrots on her pants. The wind whipped her hair into a big tangle and with the snow making her hair damp, it's frizzy and starting to curl. She makes a note to start pulling her hair up from now on. A braid would look nice and it would be more practical when the ER gets busy and the other nurses are tripping over each other to get to their patients.

"Are you okay?" his voice roots her in the present.

She meets his gaze and she doesn't miss the concern on his face. She's being too quiet, too sedentary.

"Tina," his voice is filled with so my concern that she smiles in spite of herself.

"We can talk later," she promises and reaches for the hem of his shirt, pausing like she's asking his permission, and she lifts it over his the best she can since he's several inches taller than her.

Mike gets that wicked grin on his lips, the one that kicks Tina's pulse into overdrive and makes her throat tighten dangerously, and then he's guiding her to his bed, pulling her down onto him and letting her lead. It's all heated kisses and wandering hands after that. She lets herself fall into Mike, losing herself in the way his hands feel on her skin, making her hot and wild, wanting to take all of him. It's quick and hot and exactly what she needs after her shift at the hospital. His hands squeeze her hips, helping her move faster as they both search for their release, and she pushes down on his chest with her flattened palms for leverage as his hips snap up towards her in a frantic, rhythmless pattern.

"Fuck," he sputters the word as she rolls off of him, hissing quietly when he slips out of her, and lands beside him. "Don't take this the wrong way but I really like when you have bad days at work."

She hums deep in her throat and lets her eyes fall shut for a second as he moves around beside her. Her breathing is erratic and she greedily gulps in air while she listens to him slip into his bathroom. She rolls onto her stomach, pulling the sheet up to the curve in her back, and focuses on him in the dark of his room when he slips back into his spot beside her. Tina blows out a breath when his fingers reach over to push the hair back from her face and he frowns when she tenses. She hates that she does that. Especially after what they just did.

"Tina," he whispers her name and she meets his gaze. "I'm not going to hurt you."

She forces a weak smile that she knows he won't buy, and pulls his hand to her mouth, pressing a quick kiss to his knuckles. "I know. I've just been stressed lately."

Mike doesn't say anything, probably because he doesn't know what to say, and chooses to press a soft kiss to her shoulder before looping his arm around her middle and pulling her closer to him. He murmurs something that sounds a lot like "sleep" but she doesn't need a lot of persuasion.

* * *

The light floods in through the window and forces Tina to wake. She's more than a little disoriented when she rises, blinking a few times to clear the sleep and it takes her a second to realize she's not in her own bed. The bed is empty beside her and she catches sight of a note on the bedside table. It's from Mike, telling her he had to leave for work early and didn't want to disturb her.

She dresses in yesterday's clothes quickly and tiptoes down the hall as she runs her fingers through her hair. The tangles are persistent though and she gives up.

"Good morning," it's a familiar voice and Tina plasters a smile of her face before she turns to find Azimio watching her from the kitchen. "Rough night?" His chuckle makes her cringe and she realizes why she's always felt weird around him. He never makes eye contact. His eyes just roam over her body, making her self-conscious, and she frowns when his eyes study her breasts a little too long.

"I didn't mean to spend the night," she says the first thing that pops into her head and Azimio finally looks away. "I should go. Temper is probably throwing a fit after being alone all night."

"Right," he smirks back up at her. "Want some coffee before you go?"

"Goodbye, Azimio," she ignores his offer and pulls her coat on quickly, shoving her gloves in her pockets and winding the scarf around her neck before stepping out into the cold.

"Don't look at me that way," Tina narrows her eyes at Temper, the dog watching her warily as she trots into the kitchen. Temper whines before collapsing dramatically on the floor at Tina's feet. "I'm sorry I didn't come home last night. I was... distracted. You don't get to judge me, Temper; I've seen what you do with the Labrador down the block." She frowns when Temper rolls her big brown eyes before slipping out of the large doggy door leading to the backyard.

Tina leans against the counter, sipping at her morning coffee, and mentally chastises herself for sleeping over at Mike's. She should have come home last night, slept in her own bed... alone. She broke a huge rule last night by falling asleep in his bed with his arms wrapped around her and her back pressed against his warm chest while his breath tickled the side of her neck. A knock on her front door forces her to tuck those thoughts away for later.

"I was going to wait to come by until tomorrow but I was just sitting at home," Rachel Berry starts talking as soon as Tina opens the door and then she's pushing past, moving gracefully toward the kitchen with two armfuls of groceries.

"Rachel... won't you come in," Tina follows after her.

Rachel rolls her eyes playfully and chuckles. "Vincent is coming home today from New York. I'm so excited. I haven't seen him in months."

"I'm sure he's busy at NYU. He can't drive home every weekend, Rachel," Tina watches as Rachel quickly puts all the groceries away. She'd offer to help but Rachel can probably do it faster herself. Instead, she pours them both some coffee.

"I know," Rachel pouts. "I just miss him."

"He's your only kid and now he's out in the world by himself for the first time. It's understandable."

"I heard on the news last night about this murder in New Jersey," Rachel begins as she pours cream into her mug. "I get nervous about him being so far away. He's still so young, just a baby."

"He's almost nineteen, Rachel. Cut him some slack," Tina gulps down some more coffee, trying to wake her brain up fully, and sighs. "And I know Vincent, he's being safe. He's gonna be fine. I promise."

Rachel huffs quietly, "I guess so."

Tina grins as she studies Rachel. "We should go out tonight. Have some fun. Maybe meet some guys."

"I'm too old for that kind of stuff, Tina," Rachel scoffs. "I can't be running around town with someone your age. I have a child your age. Hell, I'm old enough to be your mother."

Tina rolls her eyes, "First you're only forty-two. You're more like an older sister. Second, you're still in your prime, Rachel. You're gorgeous and your body is still amazing. You need to go out and have fun. You can't stay in that house all the time. Doesn't it get lonely?"

"Tina, you're twenty-seven. I can't keep up with women your age. I'm okay with staying home and drinking a glass of wine while I read a book. Vincent is growing up, he's in college now, and it's made me realize that I'm getting old. Some bagboy at the grocery store called me ma'am yesterday. Do you know how humiliating that is?"

"I bet you used to be fun," Tina smiles.

"What do you mean?"

"You can act all poised and elegant, Rachel Berry, but I know you used to be wild and fun and spontaneous. Before you got married and had Vincent, you were just like me."

"That was a long time ago, Tina. Before Finn."

"He died, Stella. I know it was hard, but Finn died over four years ago."

"I still love him."

"I know," Tina nods and pulls her friend into a hug. "But that doesn't mean you can't move on and meet someone else."

"You were right before," Rachel sighs and leads them over to couch in the living room. "I did used to be like you. Fun, pretty, exciting. I was all of those things. I actually grew up right here in Lima."

"Who was he?"

"Who?" Rachel feigned confusion.

"There's always a boy, Rachel."

"Noah Puckerman. The resident bad boy who was rumored to have lost his virginity at fourteen. He moved here just a few months shy of my nineteenth birthday. He was pure testosterone and the definition of 'sex-on-a-stick.' I had it bad, just like every other girl in town. I fell for him, hard and quick, but it was just a crush. Noah wasn't the marrying type and my dads would never have allowed such a scandalous relationship between Noah and I. I was the good girl, Tina, always had been, pure and untouched. I guess that enticed Noah. He chased me for weeks and I let him. My Daddy hated it but that made me want Noah more. He could have had any girl in Lima and he chose me. It was so cliche it's embarrassing. The good girl falling for the bad boy. But it was the best seven months of my life, Tina. He was bad and wild and rebellious. Everything I wanted and needed at the time."

"What happened?"

"I lost my virginity to Noah in the back of his pickup truck. It doesn't sound romantic but it was amazing and pure bliss that night. He did everything in his power to make it special for me and I'll forever treasure that night. Daddy found out, though, and he was so furious. That night was the last time I saw Noah Puckerman. My Daddy did a number to that boy judging from the rumors and the bloody mess he came home in. My dads sent me off to live with my Uncle James while I went to college for a few years."

"You never saw Noah again? Does he still live here in Lima?"

"I met Finn in college. I was a junior and he a senior. He was sweet and handsome and everything my dads wanted for me. He was nice to me, Tina, and I loved him so much. I still do. We got married when I was twenty-one and had Vincent a year later. When we moved back to Lima, I asked around for Noah but he'd gone off to college somewhere south of here."

Tina frowns as she asks, "Is he still in Ohio?"

"I have no idea," Rachel sighs with a shrug. "I never looked into it. I was with Finn and I was happy. I didn't want to go digging up things that didn't need to be dug up. Noah was my past; Finn and Vincent, they were my family, my life, my future. I didn't need Noah anymore."

_But what about now_, Tina wants to ask. Now that Finn has passed and Vincent is off at college. Now Rachel has no one. Tina chews on her bottom lip as Rachel directs the conversation in a different direction, talking about Vincent coming home for Christmas and how well he's doing with his class load. But Tina doesn't care about any of that because she's already making a plan to track down this Noah Puckerman. Wherever he is, Tina's going to find him. The little sparkle Tina catches in Rachel's eye as she talks about the bad boy lets Tina know that Rachel definitely isn't over him. Not by a long shot.


End file.
